tha there was strong public support for the idea of
direct elections but little support for such elections in
the immediate future. It undertook to hold a review in
1987, before the 1988 elections to give an opportunity
for further consultation about future development,
including such questions as the introduction of direct
elections.
31.
The
The review took place in 1987 as promised.
options were set out in a Green Paper "The 1987 Review
of Developments in Representative Government" published
in May.
It covered many aspects of representative
government, among them the question of whether and if so
when there should be a directly elected element in the
Legislative Council. A Survey Office was set up to
collect (but not to assess) public opinion on the Green
Paper. It operated outside the ordinary machinery of
government and without interference from the
administration.
Two independent monitors were appointed
to oversee its work and to ensure that it carried out its
duties in a fair and objective way. The Review generated
considerable public interest. The sounding of public
opinion took many forms and did not rely on the results
of individual polls or surveys, though a number were held
and their results taken into account. Care was taken to
obtain a representative overall picture.
32. The Review and the findings of the Survey Office
showed that public opinion was in favour of introducing a
directly elected element into the Legislative Council
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